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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oErToE.

SAMUEL F. GOLD, OF BROOKLYN,

NEW YORK, AND WM. A. FOSKETT, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

STEAM-HEATING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 86,000, dated July 29, 1862; Ressued November 21, 1871, No. 4,643.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, SAMUEL F. GOLD, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, and VILLIAM A. FosKETT, of Meriden, New Haven county, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Varming Buildings by Steam; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a portion of one of the sections of radiatorin position. Fig. 2 is a side view of sectional chamber, a portion in section showing diaphragm. Fig. 3 is a top View of two sectional chambers united. Fig. 4. is a transverse section through the joint.

Similar characters of reference in the several gures denote the same part. Y

Our invention has reference to the arti ficial warming of buildings by steam, by means of a circulation of air over chambers containing the heating agent; which current being warmed by contact of its particles with the surfaces of these chambers, is carried by suitablel flues to the apartlnents to be warmed: the invention consisting in certain peculiarities in the construction of the heating chambers, hereinafter to be set forth. In order that our invention may be fully understood and its importance appreciated, we will state briefly the disadvantages existing in artificial warming apparatus which it is the object of this invention toobviate. It is well known that the great objection to artificial warming apparatus, whether hot-air furnaces, pressure hot-water apparatus, or steam heaters, arises from the fact that the contact of the atmosphere with the heated surfaces employed, necessarilyv vitiates it, by reason of the burning and decomposition of the extraneous matter in the air, and the destruction of its moisture produces the ill eects on the physical system, always observed where such apparatus is used for warming. These bad efects of artiiicial warming, diminish in proportion as the temperature of the transmitting surface is reduced; thus rendering the radiators of certain hot water and low pressure' steam apparatus less prejudicial to health than any other system of warming. But when it is considered that in order to obtain the lowest degree of steam heat, the temperature of the inside of the steam chamber or radiator must at least be raised to the degree necessary for the generation of steam, or 2120, and that owing to the conducting properties of the metal composing these chambers, the steam chambers or radiators of this character of apparatus, as generally constructed, have their outer surfaces heated to very nearly the same degree as the inner; or to a degree suflicient to decompose the moisture of all air coming in contact with them. and t-hus injure it for the purposes of respiration. Now, since the very nature of steam requires that the heat from it, at the very lowest pressure must be received by the chamber at a degree injurious to the atmosphere, it becomes necessary so to constructthe steam chamber, that though received at too high a degree, the heat shall be transmitted at such a temperature as will not impair the vitality of the atmosphere. This reduction of temperature has been eiected by constructing the external surfaces of the steam chambers with transverse flanges, whereby the external surface is increased in extent beyond that of the inner surface, and the heat consequently transmitted from the chamber at a lower temperature than it was received. A result which seems to remove a hitherto insurmountable obstacle to the employment of steam as a heating agent, in conformity with physiological principles. But in thus reducing the temperature o-f the heat in its transmission, the effectiveness of the apparatus is materially impaired, from the fact that the heated strata of the air current carry with them a large quantity of air that never comes in contact with the heating surfaces; whereby the effect of this reduction of heat is to render the apparatus incapable of performing what is desired, unless the heating vsurfaces be multiplied sufliciently to overcome this evil. A remedy which opposes an insuperable barrier to the reduction of heat in its transmission, by the means above stated, since for the purpose of effectually warming buildings with reduced heat it is essential that the increase of surface shall be so effected, that the air current shall receive the maximum amount of warmth it is capable of receiving from any given temperature of the heating agent;

and, considered with reference to the practical application of the principle, it is equally as essential that this result should be arrived at, by the minimum expenditure of metal; otherwise the apparatus will become cumbersome and costly.

It is therefore the object of this portion of our invention to reduce the injurious temperature received by the inner surface of the chamber, in such a manner that the current passing over the outer surface of the chamber, shall take up all the heat that it is in the power of the steam admitted to the chamber to furnish. The total amount of heat conveyed to the apartment depending on the force with which the current is carried over the heated surfaces. This result being attained with the minimum weight of metal in the steam chambers.

The laws governing heat show that air is heated by contact and conduction. But as the conducting power of air is very poor, we may for our purposes safely assume that the greater portion of the heat received by the current must be imparted by`direct contact with the heating surfaces. In order therefore that the current may receive its maximum amount of heat, it is necessary that while passing the steam chambers, it be divided into the thinnest possible strata, each stratum of which shall come in contact with the heated surface. To eHect this result we construct the heat imparting portion of the apparatus of a series of thin chambers C C, placed upon their edges and united throughout by the single joints b, surrounding the steam openings. The flat surfaces a of these chambers are studded with conical projections p arranged in rows, so that the projections of one row shall be directly above the spaces s between the projections of the row beneath; the spaces being about the same dimensions as the dia-meters of the bases of the projections. The length of the projections being such that when the chambers C are united to form the entire steam chamber, the extremities of the projections of adjacent chambers C will be nearly in contact, as shown in Fig. 3. The eect of this construction is to divide up the current so as to bring nearly all portions `in contactwith the heated surface during its transit. The extent of which division of the air will best be understood and appreciated by the following statement concerning our apparatus as now constructed.

The sectional chambers C are six inches high and have thirteen rows of projections with an average diameter of three eighths of an inch. The same distance measuring the spaces between the projections in the rows.

With this construction it will be seen, that by the successive subdivisions to which the current is subjected, the air will be so finely divided that no stratum of greater thickness than one ve thousandths of an inch can escape without having been in contact'with some portion of the heating surface. An amount of subdivision that gives the maximum degree of heat attainable from the pressure of steam employed, which is at the pressure of half a pound to the square inch. The current is supposed to pass upward by its own gravity, if it be forced through by a blower or otherwise, the quantity of heat obtained from the same pressure will be increased in proportion to the increase of the driving force. That we do obtain the maximum quantity 'of heat for that pressure of steam, we have ascertained by practice and experiment. By using chambers with plane faces, with the same pressure of steam, a pile four feet high was required to impartthe same degree of heat to the air, that is obtained by the six inch chambers aboveY described. By constructing the chambers with flanges in the direction of the'air current, the vertical depth of surface had to be nearly the same as when plane surfaces were used. With chambers having flanges across the air current, and overlapping each other, the height of the pile was reduced, though not very materially; owing to the fact that abrupt obstructions to the current has the effect of dellecting the air without dividing it.

By experiments with chambers having the curved surfaced projections, we find, that with the before mentioned pressure of steam the current of air received no additional degree of heat above what is received from the six inch chamber with thirteen rows of projections, even when made to pass through four series of such chambers, placed over each other. And when one row of projections of the six inch chamber, was removed the temperature of the air diminished four degrees, showing conclusively, that for the pressure of steam used in our apparatus we have obtained, the heating chamber that imparts the maximum degree of heat with the minimum depth and weight of metal.

The dimensions given above are but illustrations of the general principles governing our invention, and will of course be varied to suit circumstances. The end obtained being, that the heat imparted by the agent is reduced to a healthful temperature by an extension of the external surfaces of the containing chambers, which imparts .the maximum heat the agent is capable of furnishing with the minimum weight of chamber.

The sectional chambers C are constructed with central openings Z on their opposite faces for the admission of the steam. The portion of the chamber containing the same being slightly wider than the other portions, so as to furnish the means of uniting two or more of these sections by securing opening of the valves.

them together with the surfaces surrounding the central openings in contact. So that the entire steam chamber made up of any desired4 number of sections will be centrally connected throughout its whole extent, making the chamber to consist of a central passage and lateral wings issuing therefrom.

Each wing has a horizontal diaphragm D extending from the central opening to near the extremity of the wing, as shown in Fig. 2. The object of which is to provide a circulation of steam through the chamber, by reason of it entering each branch or wing through the upper passages, as shown by arrows in Fig. 2, passing to the extremities of the wings, and thence'toward the center by the lower channel. By this construction of chamber, the opposite wings of the sections are heated progressively and Vequally from the middle toward the extremities, so that the expansion on both sides of the connection will be equal. 'Ihe same will be true concerning contraction in cooling, consequently the joint will receive no injury from the variations of temperature to which it is exposed. A result due alone to the central connection of the sections and the receiving of `the heating agent through these connections. Moreover this construction enables steam at a low pressure to pass to the apparatus in extremely cold weather without the danger of the water of condensation freezing, as is the case with other constructions; particularly where coils are used. With coils a stop valve to the boiler is necessary, in order that a suicient pressure may be accumulated to force the steam through the entire system at once, on the A necessity which involves great danger of explosion, from the liabilitywhich exists for the instantaneous generation of a great volume of steam by the rise of water to the heated tubes of the boiler, when by the sudden escape of steam by the opening of the stop valve, the pressure on the water is removed.

With our apparatus the pressure of steam is at all times the same in all its parts. In letting on steam under the circumstances of extreme cold, when there is a liability to frost in the sectional chambers, the steam en ters at the center of the first section, passes laterally through the upper branches of both wings, its radiation destroying the frost in advance, while its force expels the air from the chamber as shown by arrows in Fig. 2.

The steam enters and warms each of the sections in succession, throughout the entire system; so that in consequence of this progressive action there can be no danger of the water of condensation freezing when steam is let to the chamber in the coldest Weather. And that at the ordinary low pressure at which we use the steam. In this respect this sectional construction of chamber with the central connection is a valuable portion of our apparatus; since besides its other advantages it enables us to dispense with the stop valve and its attendant dangers. The novelty of this portion of the construction whereby the before mentioned results arise, consists in connecting these flat sections centrally at the steam passage, which makes the entire radiator to consist of a central steam passage having lateral circulating chambers connected therewith. This construction gives a great circulation of the steam, with but a small amount of direct travel. In contrast with this is the coil radiator, in which the steam that reaches its extreme portion must have passed directly over every other portion of the surface heated. The one admitting of a very low pressure of steam to do the work; the other requiring a very high pressure. The mechanical devices by which the several sections are thus centrally united, are not considered or claimed as a novelty, as any devcilce suitably connecting the parts may be use Having described our invention and the operation thereof we disclaim the reduction of secondary heat by extending the external surface of the chamber containing the agent, broadly considered, as such is not our invention.

What we do claim as new and of our own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. Constructing the steam chambers in sections so united as to leave airv channels between the adjacent sections, the surfaces of the sections constituting the sides of these channels being studded with regularly curved projections, arranged in rows and breaking spaces in the direction opposed to the current substantially as, and for the purposes set forth.

2. I/Ve also claim connecting the afore said flat sections centrally at the steam passage, whereby the radiator is made up of a main steam channel and lateral circulating passages substantially as described.

3. Vie further claim in combination with the central opening d, the diaphragms D in the wings, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we hereunto sign our names before two subscribing witnesses.

S. F. GOLD. WM. A. FOSKETT.

Witnesses as to S. F. Gold:

GEO. PATTEN, FREDK. B. Swnu.

Witnesses as to W. A. Foskett:

A. H. CURTIS, ERWIN D. I-IALL.

[FIRST PRINTED 1912.] 

